But if a strike were to last more than a few days, the train cars would have to be sealed and protected. Harrod said the reason both sides have been so vague about the timeline is strategic.

“It’s a gamble, right? If they do a short-term shutdown and things turn out wrong, and suddenly it’s long-term shutdown and they didn’t prepare all this equipment for a long-term shutdown, you know, it’s a big annoyance,” he said.

In a statement Monday, LIRR unions said service could begin to wind down as early as Wednesday as the railroad secures its equipment in preparations for the possible strike.

But United Transportation Union President Anthony Simon, the chief negotiator for LIRR’s unions, clarified that point and said there would be no reduction in service Wednesday.

“The Long Island Rail Road is already starting to secure some of its yards, nothing to do with service,” Simon said. “They’re starting to move some equipment around, as far as track equipment, to lock down equipment, and that’s just a safety issue.”